Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Nano paranoia continued gaining momentum today as a group calling themselves "Friends of the Earth" (positioning themselves against the rest of us who they insinuate are "enemies of the earth") and the International Center for Technology Assessment filed a petition with the FDA demanding that the FDA tighten its monitoring of anything in sunscreen or cosmetics which could, as they claim, "penetrate the skin and effect brain chemistry."

One wonder what is already affecting their brain chemistry. An attorney for the groups is planning on suing if the FDA doesn't meet their demands within 180 days.

So here we have a non-American organization which is demanding changes to our rules and threatening to sue us if we don't bend to their will. Furthermore the changes they want made are so non-specific that even water (which will penetrate the skin and effect brain chemistry!) would be regulated by it.

So far the FDA seems unconcerned. And with good reason considering the ludicrous nature of the proposed rule changes. However we all know from past experience that if these nut jobs shout loud enough and long enough eventually some unfortunate people will begin to fall under their sway. Some of the worst debacles of public policy have come about by exactly this course (banning of supersonic transports, stringent GMO regulations, digital copyright protection, nuclear power, the list goes on...)